


Phoenix Revenge

by gothambeat



Category: Batman (Comics), Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Crossover, F/M, Near Death Experiences, Triggers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-13
Updated: 2018-01-13
Packaged: 2018-05-01 09:15:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 18,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5200397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gothambeat/pseuds/gothambeat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stephanie's dying to get back inside a Jaeger. But with everything that's happened, she's wondering if it'll ever happen. Jason, on the other hand, is planning on it. A Gotham/Pacific Rim crossover I'm restarting.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Drifter

It was the tremor that pulled her from sleep and not the minute-old alarm ringing in her ears. She grew accustomed to noises while she slept over the years but there was no mistaking the shifting of the Earth. She fell from her dream into reality and gathered her nerves as the blinds rattled against the window. It stopped seconds later and she waited still in her bed. There wasn’t another. 

Earthquake. That’s all.

“Welcome back to California,” Stephanie mumbled to herself.

She hadn’t been back to this state since the accident. The rumors of increased seismic activity since the Breach opened proved true. 

She pulled herself from the paper sheets to the duffle beside the bed. The air in the hotel room hugged too hot and she didn’t appreciate the extra fabric of pilot uniforms. It hung loosely over her frame, reminding her of all the ways she was different from the last time she wore it.

Chatter filled the lobby from talk shows as she checked out. The interview ran of the two best pilots while she waited for the clerk for her bill. The Greek brunettes smiled and laughed along with the host. Any minute Prince would issue her famous word of warning and some nonsense about duck and cover. There was barely a day the Kaiju didn’t make the morning news. 

Stepping out, the heat hit her in the face bringing instant sweat. The city rebuilt after the last attack. The streets curved around fallen bones and surged with added traffic from the roadwork. More shelter signs. Cloudy skies. And a giant billboard plastered on the side of a building with the Boy Wonder himself, standing as tall as a Jaeger, blue eyes staring down from the skyscraper. It wasn’t a very welcoming site.

 

The base was bustled with activity with double the technicians and workers since she last set foot in the doors. Their paths ran with precision and comfort, relaxed after being under pressure. The latest Kaiju had taken on Hong Kong last week and the team was relieved by the dodged bullet. Slow times were a celebration.

Stephanie stepped to the side to let them pass and tried not to be taken by the tide.

“Yeah, okay, I get the message,” she mumbled, clutching the strap of her bag tighter as she watched unfamiliar faces pass. Like she wasn’t there, a no one.

“A ghost.”

The comment took her off-guard, bringing her ego back in check and to the woman to her right. Lean and fit with half her ranger suit tied around her waist, Cassandra Cain of Hong Kong hadn’t changed at all.

“Boo,” Stephanie said, for lack of a better greeting. Seeing a friendly face was good, but the doubt was worming it’s way back into the cracks. It was the moment she dreaded most, that defining minute where people decided how they truly felt seeing her again. She didn’t care. She decided that three hotels ago. But they might.

“What’s up?”

She should’ve known better. Cass pulled her close into a tight hug that was awkwardly comforting. It lasted less than preferred but Cass gave her a smirk to further cement that maybe she didn’t completely hate the hole Stephanie crawled out from.

“It’s good to see you,” Stephanie said with relief. “Heard about your take-down off the coast last week. Flawless as always.”

Cass looked like a tiger when she was amused. Her eyes were playful but her smirk was as deadly as her skills. 

“Oh that,” she said with practiced indifference. “Was nothing.”

“I bet,” Steph said, feeling the safety of a friend. She couldn’t guess how many she’d need to make her dream happen. Again. “No wonder we stole you from Hong Kong. Can’t beat them, recruit them.”

“It was a good transfer,” Cass said as they walked through the busied hallways. The hanger lay ahead behind thick blast doors. Stephanie could already taste the grease and burnt air from the welding tools. “I will return to Hong Kong soon when my partner and I have finished our preliminaries together. A strong team.”

Her accent had weakened but only slightly. The new mannerisms were no doubt the result from drifting from an American pilot. But her stride was stronger, more open and relaxed than before. She held her shoulders back now and Stephanie would bet she was the alpha on her team. The leader. It was a much better position than her last assignment. Stephanie had never liked Lady Shiva. 

The metal blast doors were open allowing free traffic into the hanger. Cass held up her badge to the office and he nodded them in without a question. They were barely through the door when Stephanie spotted them. 28 stories high, Jaegers were hard to miss. Cass followed her gaze to a black Mark-3. Workers crawled like ants over the arm to improve the firing mechanisms inside. The twin firing canons made for rapid firing but needed major keep-up. It had to be cleaned and rotated after every fight or the overheating could destroy the entire limb. 

It was the only recognizable component that Stephanie could see, the rest hidden behind the metal paneling. The whole Jaeger was black except for the red insignia that sat on the chest. A bat and bird, flying opposite directions but matched in size and spirit, outlined the moniker “Alpha Bat”. 

“She’s beautiful, Cass,” Stephanie said. Hard to miss the beaming coming from beside her. The new models looked just as fast as they promised. She remembered seeing the specs for the first time... “How does she handle?”

“Like the wind,” she said. Stephanie envied the look in her eye but it was only a matter of time before she shared it. “You’re going to the try-outs.”

Secrets didn’t exist around Cass. Stephanie reminded herself that.

“Yeah, I am,” she said, watching for a reaction.

“Are you ready?

“Guess we’ll find out.”

They continued through the hanger, past the other Jaegers. Boss Hostler, Canary Sonata, Warrior Sophos - all giants standing tall as they awaited duty. Most of the noise came from the fifth bay where the cables kept the newest goliath stable. Technicians huddled in a group meeting by the left leg, no doubt planning what else to pack it with. From the little Stephanie could see, it was being equipped with sting blades and T-16 Angel wings. She didn’t recognize the specifics but the form had been cut dramatically from the last models. She looked fast and agile.

“That’s her?” Stephanie asked. Cass nodded beside her. “Does she have a name yet?”

“No. No one’s been assigned to her yet.” Stephanie suddenly felt watched. “He does not know you’re here, does he?”

Steph ran her tongue along her dried lips. “No one does.”

She hadn’t wanted to spoil her luck. It’d be some cosmic happening to even get passed induction. They could toss her out and that would be it. Packed bags, wasted air miles, and a one-way trip back to a single mother with nothing left to show. But aliens were climbing out of the oceans. Clearly the cosmos weren’t as boring as they previously pretended. They could happen a bit for her. 

A sound played over the PA, loud enough to be heard over the normal hager chatter.

“Ranger evaluations in twenty minutes.” The messaged repeated once more.

Cass held her hand out. “Good luck.”

 

*

The try-outs were open. Ranger enlistment had always welcomed volunteers outside the military and no one had ever bothered adding exceptions. Criminals, street kids, anyone could sign-up and give it a go. It was no guarantee to be accepted and even less chance at making pilot but it hadn’t stopped Stephanie all those years ago and it wouldn’t stop her now. With the open terminology no lawyer bothered to correct, anyone could audition. Including ex-rangers. 

Entering the combat room was like visiting an old school. The memories weren’t the best and the familiarity was sobering. The room smelled like dry sweat and Stephanie’s muscles ached by just the memory of drills. A dozen or so people had beaten her to the mats, lingering in pairs or stretching on their own. Most were young, one or two pushing her own age but all had the smooth, fresh skin of innocence and inexperience. Stephanie knew first-hand that any amount of trouble seen on the streets was nothing to the power and tragedy of a Jaeger.

“Ranger evaluations in five minutes,” the woman’s voice echoed down the hallway. The new recruits weren’t the only ones filing in. Off-duty workers and bridge personnel found a spot to watch the only on-base entertainment. Other Rangers liked to size up the competition. 

Stephanie stretched in her own space with her back to the door. It wasn’t about him, she told herself. This was a chance for herself, something she wanted to do, had to do, for the sake of the world. Honor, duty, everything embroidered in the flight emblem. 

It was bullshit.

Of course it was about him. The way they fought together was not something she could ever forget. For all the redemption she sought, she needed a second chance to make amends to the people she hurt the most and he was the top of the list. She craved to have him near her again, close enough to touch again. Her skin prickled at the thought and she turned, finding him frozen in the doorway, staring.

“Steph.” Tim’s mouth hung open in a confused gawking. The other audience members pushed past, trying to get a seat for the main event and Tim had no choice but to step forward.

For all the words swimming around in Stephanie Brown’s head at any given time, none offered to step in for her at this moment.

He was there. His hair was longer, his face harder and his clothes tighter - in such a good way - but it was Tim Drake standing in front of her again.

“Hey you,” she managed before she was wrapped in a tight embrace, her mouth captured by his. He tasted like grease and spice and smelled like childhood and Stephanie could practically feel him again in that place they once shared. 

The marshal cleared his throat.

Tim stepped back, breaking the moment and Stephanie’s last hold of comfort. All things considered, macking on one of the world’s best pilots in front of the other recruits could be the best intimidation tactic but was most likely a death sentence in getting along with any of them from this point on. She should’ve been embarrassed or ashamed but instead her pride finally started turning again. There were certain things a person deserved and she wouldn’t apologize for the emotional reassurance she’d been lacking for one and a half years. Hands on her hips, she dared anyone to comment. 

“Brown,” the marshal said, his icy eyes settling upon her. Leave it to Bruce Wayne to take up any challenge, inner monologue or not.

It wasn’t a secret Bruce Wayne had almost single-handedly built the Jaeger program. From funding and engineering, his company was behind building the Kaiju-fighters. He was also one of the first pilots-turned marshal after losing his partner. He hadn’t been her biggest fan before, their relationship a chess game played blind. Maybe he was keeping track of the moves but she felt more like the pawns on the board than his opponent.

“Good to see you back,” he said.

She was proud not to show her surprise - and then anger- with her response. “Am I welcomed back?” She wanted so much to address Tim too but Wayne was her first obstacle at returning to the Conn-Pod. 

“If you want it.” His expression was guarded. Was it another move of the board or a challenge at a new game? Stephanie couldn’t tell.

“I want it.”

“Then earn it.”

He turned to the recruits. “You’ve all made it this far. This isn’t training anymore. Each of you have proved yourself as individuals. Now it’s time to bring yourselves together as a team. Show me what you’ve got.”


	2. Shadow of a Giant

The hanger work didn’t stop at night but it did slow. As the day shift left to satisfy their sleep needs, the night crew took over calibrations and fueling, the quiet measures that needed done but wouldn’t echo through the base.

After nine hours of Bruce Wayne’s first day training, many of the recruits were crawling to their beds or replenishing their energy in the mess hall. But Stephanie was used to sore muscles. She had been pushing herself harder for the past year to make up for the lost time. Not just get back to where she was but to be better.

“I didn’t know you were ever coming back.” His voice was soft as he came to stand by her.

Stephanie looked down at the workers below, working on the Jaegers. 

“Honestly, I didn’t know if I’d be back,” she said. “Or if you’d care.”

“Don’t say that.” Tim smelled different but Stephanie couldn’t tell if it was just new soap or new experiences. He ducked his head into his hands, running fingers through the longer hair. “Please don’t say that.”

He looked like he’d forgotten what a good day was. Stephanie regretted what she said but not how she felt. Not a word between them and she was supposed to be nice? 

But she didn’t want an argument. 

“Remember our first fight?” she asked instead. She could feel him again, back in the drift, nerves bouncing off nerves and adrenaline racing. 

“Yeah, how could I forget?” He gave a laugh. “You smashed a building against our face.”

“There was a Kaiju there at the time.”

“It didn’t like that either.” He grinned like the memory of him she kept. “We took it by ourselves.”

“Totally in sync.”

Tim nodded.

Stephanie walked along the walkway at the hip of Alpha Bat. It wasn’t the best view but it didn’t turn her stomach with the height and the noise didn’t reach this level. It gave them an intimacy Steph was starting to regret. 

A year and a half. She’d been away from these machines for what felt like a lifetime but was only a fraction of it. A year and a half and he hadn’t spoken two words to her before the morning. She lived in his head hours at a time, always taking advantage of knowing. The uncertainty and doubt was turning out to be the worst part of coming back. Tim stood so close to her, closer than in a cockpit, but she never felt further from him. Maybe he believed what everyone else did.

“You never called,” she finally said, unable to keep it polite and not wanting to anymore. She gripped the railing like it would steady her emotions.

He wouldn’t look at her, but it wasn’t out of shame. “A lot happened, Steph.”

Maybe he forgot she wasn’t in his mind anymore. 

“That’s it?” she asked.

“You never contacted me, either.” His tone was guarded, hurt, angry. It tore Stephanie from the railing to make him face her.

“Kinda hard in a coma,” she said. “I woke up completely alone!”

“I’m sorry,” he said, the words hard and plastic. “I didn’t want that. You were gone, Steph, don’t think I didn’t feel that. I didn’t know how-”

“Yeah, it really tore you up,” Stephanie spat. “Tore me up too.”

His hand took her arm. Physical contact made her flinch but it was from his cold hands, not his gentle grasp. It wasn’t the connection either of them was looking for, wasn’t that deeper pull towards the other. Nothing could compare to the Drift. It left them staring at each other thoughts mimicking the other’s but isolated. Things were so different now. It wasn’t going to be easy, coming back. Stephanie hadn’t expected a warm welcome and knew she’d have to work at-

No, no she had expected it. She knew there would be a trial run but she planned on acing it. Tim would have a good reason to leave her alone in India and they’d work on becoming partners again. The nightmare that had been the last year would be over and they’d get back to killing Kaiju. Stop the end of the world.

“Stephanie,” Tim tried again. “Are you sure you’re ready to do this? You got lucky last time.” Suddenly all her good and bad decisions had been reduced to luck. Pilots made decisions and lived with the consequences but she was just an unlucky citizen caught in the Kaiju attack. Like he hadn’t been right there next to her when-

“What a joke,” she mumbled. Tim’s brow creased. Stephanie pulled away, traveling the walkway at a faster pace.

“I don’t want you getting hurt again!”

“Then drift with me,” she said without looking back. “Let’s be a team again and I can show you I can do it, Tim.”

The path curved, taking them away from Alpha Bat, into the outer wing where they worked on the newest models. This is where she stopped, where the shadow of the new Jaeger should’ve been.

“I- I have a new partner,” Tim said. He paused, reading her face and turning to the vacancy. His face lit up in the flashing yellow lights as the outer doors dragged closed.

“Is the newest Jaeger active?” Stephanie asked.

Tim shook his head. “No. Testing doesn’t even start until next week,” he said, leaning over the railing to get a better view of the ground where crews were grouping in confusion. He leaned a little too far and suddenly he was gone.

“Tim!”

Stephanie reached for him but he had hold of the railing. He swung himself over to the pole and slid down to the ground for more information.

Stephanie clenched her jaw, the sudden feeling of falling making her dizzy. Seeing Tim fall so quickly-

“Get it together,” she told herself. She had taught him that move. Still, she eyed the elevator before following his path, hitting the ground too fast she had to roll out. She brushed the dirt and grime from her pants hoping it looked deliberate. Hoping it hid her shaking hands.

“So what’s the deal?” she asked. Tim was in an animated discussion with the head engineer.

“It’s not here,” Al said, his accent thick from the argument. 

“What do you mean it’s not here?” Stephanie asked. It was a Jaeger. Despite its inner workings it couldn’t actually just walk away on it’s own.

“Without authorization,” Tim added.

“Looked authorized to me,” Al said, mad at the implications. “Signed docs, JMVs, they weren’t leaving here without it. Never seen a transport that fast.”

Word began circling, sending gossip through the base. The technician’s board was already lighting up with calls from Oracle. It was only a matter of time before-

“Who took my Jaeger?” Marshal Wayne demanded, his voice low and dangerous. His pace was fast, fancy shoes clapping on the cement as aggressively as he eyed everyone in the immediate area. 

Al held up the digital pad with the transfer form on it. “You did,” he said.

Marshal grabbed the pad from him, scrolling through the paperwork. Stephanie craned her neck to see over his high shoulders. He went too fast for her to read but anyone that glimpsed the screen could see when he reached the bottom. It was signed with his own signature in what Stephanie guessed was a perfect fake. 

“I thought something amiss,” Al said, “but I thought it another extravagant plan of yours.” 

Snark aside, the entire situation didn’t make sense. Jaegers where heavy. The fastest deployment was on record for less than an hour but it usually took twice that from Breach detection to launch. Non-pilot transport of Jaegers took half a day to just get out of the doors. Of course, that was all paperwork and precaution. Stephanie guessed you might skip that part to get it out the door.

Still. They’d have to have been here a few hours. The balls on those guys.

“Who steals a Jaeger?” She asked.


	3. Jason Steals A Jaeger

Good old California, Jason thought as he drove his bike through downtown Los Angeles. The streets curved around fallen buildings and old skeletal bones from monsters long gone but not forgotten. They had stopped trying to clean it up and began adjusting. It made the ride more interesting.

The sun was hot and the air reeked of ocean but at least it was a change of scenery. The military presence was hard to miss. Jason passed a convoy rolling out through the streets probably on their way to a drill and then another at the beginning of the bridge that lead to the Jaeger base. 

How many people still lived here that weren’t military? LA had turned into a powerhouse of factories and military operations and poverty had hiked for the regular joes. Jason had never really liked it here, too bright for his tastes, but now it felt like a shell of a city. Not like Hong Kong that seemed to have thrived around the Shatterdome. 

The LA base was the shining jewel of the Jaeger program. The newest base so far, it was high tech in everything that could possibly be high tech. Wayne Enterprises had wasted no time or expense on it and the giant W that glowed on every wall reminded the world of that.

Jason parked his bike under it in those early hours of the morning when it was still promising to be a normal day. Well, normal days didn’t follow Jason.

“What do you mean transfer,” the second mechanic asked when Jason presenting the papers. “There’s nothing on the schedule for a transfer.”

Herold, the main mechanic and a shrimp of a man, continued to read the docket carefully. 

“Maybe not your schedule,” Jason said, “But it’s been on ours for the month. Sydney wanted it before the last attack. Guess they lucked out.”

“It’s not even done,” the kid said. Jason didn’t know his name. Marcus or Melvin or something. “Wendy and I have to run the diagnostics-”

“I don’t make the orders,” Jason said, putting on his best blue collar worker, “I just follow them. This baby’s gotta be seaside by dusk tonight or I’m looking for a new job and I can bet you would be too.”

The kid scoffed and turned to Herold. “It’s a joke right.”

Herold looked up at the kid and handed him the tablet. He circled his index finger in the air to signal everyone to get to work. The kid sighed.

“Fine, but it’s going to take a few hours,” he told Jason.

“I got all the time in the world,” Jason replied. 

Jason didn’t actually. He had exactly five hours to get the newest fighting robot out of the base on onto the JMV or he’d be dead in the water. Not that it would’ve been the first time.

He waited in the shadows, watching the men disconnect the metal monster from the scaffoldings. They moved down the body, sending the pon away on the first set of trucks before moving to the shoulders and down the torso. All the while the little mechanic brat yapped in his ear about some unregistered this or that. Jason did his best to appease him with regular jabber from his days working in the same industry. Yeah, the Conn-Pod would be finished in Sydney, no there wasn’t a restriction and sure, the mechanical team could join the Jaeger later. No need to go apartment shopping in Sydney just yet.

After the third onslaught of questions, Jason pulled out his cigarettes. He knew Mama Marshal Wayne was busy training the newest canon fodder so he still had enough time before the night crew - and Al - showed up but damn, why did Talia have to give him the job of stealing the one in his old house. Hong Kong would’ve been better. Hong Kong would’ve been easy.

By the time the League’s transports had arrived, Jason was down a pack of cigarettes and ready to put this place behind him once and for all.

“I’d say you’ve got an hour,” Jason told the JMV driver as he checked his watch. He didn’t recognize the guy. None of the crew was familiar. “Don’t stop.”

“We won’t,” the driver replied in a thick accent and pulled the door shut. Jason watched the Jaeger pull out of the hanger until he was sure no one would try to stop them. The team inside was too tired to care anymore and the shift change had already begun. Second shift would be asking questions.

He headed back to his bike, keeping the transport in his sites until he heard the hanger doors begin to close. Now they just had to get the giant onto the ship. Yeah, easy.

“You are not the transport team,” a voice said from behind.

Jason turned, pausing in putting his helmet on. The woman standing there he recognized from TV appearances. Cassandra Cain, best pilot in the program running, was taller than most of her partners and media perception. She didn’t speak much, probably why she wasn’t as beloved as some of the other pilots that weren’t nearly as agile at killing Kaiju as she was. Jason had kept an eye on the program but Cain’s career was fun reading. 

“Why would you say that?” Jason asked, eyeing her. It was strange seeing her over here and not in Hong Kong. Maybe the problems with Shiva chased her out of the base. 

“You’re not,” Cassandra said. Her stare was penetrating, like she could read his mind. “Where did you take it?”

“Look, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jason said, putting on his helmet. He wished he had a better deflection but time was running out. Class had been out for a half hour and shift change was any minute. He threw his leg over his bike and started it with a roar.

Cassandra stood in front of the bike, staring at him. “You’re lying. Who did you sell it to?”

“How did you-?”

Inside the hangar, an alarm went off. Dammit, less time than he thought. Al was too proactive about his job. Jason looked back at Cass who had looked back to see what was happening.

“Sorry,” he said, throwing a punch as he moved to speed out. Cassandra dodged the punch but flipped out of the way all the same and Jason sped off back towards the city.

The sky was scarlet as the sun set over the water as Jason chased after the JMV and for a few peaceful minutes it was quiet. The hum of the motor under him always calmed him down even in the middle of chase. And according to his mirror, he was suddenly in one.

A dark bike sped around the corner a block behind him and weaved between cars. The angry honks did little to slow the rider down as they gained distance. Even if Jason wasn’t already completely sure it was for him, the Jaeger Wing symbol on the side of the open-faced helmet was a dead giveaway. 

Jason took a sharp left, cutting off truck and plotted a new course in his head. Ahead, the light turned and the cars started to brake. Jason pulled onto the sidewalk with a quick glance behind him. The pursuing rider had rounded the corner and shot down the middle of traffic after him. Jason turned back just in time to see a couple walk out from a store and pulled to the side suddenly, cutting off an SUV and skidding slightly before regaining his control. The light was still red and Jason gunned it to make it through the moving gap, causing blaring horns and the sound of bending metal.

It gave him a rush, he’d be lying if he didn’t admit it. But after fighting oceanic monsters the size of skyscrapers, he was far from outnumbered. And the risk-factor was low, seriously lower than any battle he’d been in with Bruce.

He grinned under his helmet at the thought. Wreckless, they called him. As if what he did- had done- could be anything but.

Another round of horns blaring and Jason saw the bike jump over the back end of a truck and land, speeding ever-closer to him. They were good. 

He took another sharp turn but an unloading truck parked in the alleyway forced him into the parking garage. Jason cursed under his breath as he heard the bike follow him and bump his back tire. Together they weaved through the maze of the parking garage through people jumping out of the way and cars parking and pulling out. 

He took the turn up to the next level with a drift while he reached inside his coat for his gun in holster. He pointed low towards the bike’s tire and fired.

The other rider ducked at the sight and sound of the gun but sparks flew off the pavement just shy. They yelled something Jason couldn’t hear as he made his way further up.

“Watch out!” he saw her yell and turned back forward in time to see the car backing out.

The bike stopped but he kept going, flying over the back end. He tucked and rolled coming out on his feet with only the wind knocked out of him but he forced himself to stay steady. Too soon the other bike came around the opposite end and Jason steadied his gun, shooting again. This time the tire blew but the rider was already jumping off and landed on him with all her weight.

“Oof!” she said, taking the impact too hard, her helmet flying off to reveal her golden blonde hair. Jason gasped for breath as she looked down at him with a grin. “Gotcha.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait. Getting back into writing is a slow process and Jason is a hard character to write properly. Did you find the easter eggs?


	4. Family Affair

“Who is he?” Stephanie asked. It was the question of the morning on the lips of everyone at the base since Marshal Bruce Wayne brought the Jaeger-thief back to lock-up. 

He had blue eyes. Stephanie was surprised by them when she took off his red helmet but she couldn’t place why. They looked cold and familiar but she was pretty sure she hadn’t seen them before. Like, ninety percent sure.

Then he sliced her with a knife. Stephanie should’ve saw it coming but was a little too slow jumping off him. He rolled to his feet and started to move to the exit but Stephanie didn’t break every traffic law in the city to get beat on foot. She was proud of her fighting skills and eager to shake the dust off them.

Turns out he was pretty good, too. Ranger good. He didn’t just know her moves, he matched them. And used his strength against her, pushing her back, manipulating the fight to where he wanted her. But Stephanie knew the tricks and held her own until the police showed up and seven officers took him in.

“Maybe he was a pilot,” she mused. 

“You shouldn’t have done that,” Cassandra said, jerking Stephanie’s arm for a better angle at the cut. She seemed to be ignoring everything Stephanie was saying. Which made Stephanie talk more.

“He stole a Jaeger, I wasn’t just going to sit there.” She swung her legs, trying not to think about the smell of the medical wing. Antiseptics made her stomach turn with memories of bedridden months. “Besides, pilots couldn’t be risked. I’m nothing to care about.”

Cass pinched the underside of her arm and Stephanie gave a squeal. Dark eyes leveled with Steph’s as Cass pressed the gauze to the cut. “Dangerous,” she said. “And stupid.”

Stephanie smiled and rolled her eyes but it felt nice. Doctor Leslie came in yelling at Cass to leave her patient alone and Stephanie left the med wing with a bandaged arm an hour later.

“Did you get any sleep?” Tim asked, waiting for her in the hallway.

“Eight months of it,” she responded, watching his face sour like it always when she brought it up. “Why are you up?”

“Checking in,” Tim said. “I heard you got hurt.”

“Pfft, it was nothing.” Stephanie pulled down her jacket to reveal the bandage before shouldering it again. He gave her a cross look.

“You shouldn’t have done that.”

“Just because you weren’t fast enough doesn’t mean I have to wait,” Steph said. 

“It was my bike.”

“Lucky me you keep the tank full.”

“Steph.”

“Tim.”

“Stephanie.” Bruce Wayne was stalking towards her with slightly unkempt hair and look that would spoil milk.

“Shit.” She tried to turn but Tim grabbed her arm. “Traitor,” she whispered to him as Bruce motioned for them to follow. It wasn’t until they reached the door of Bruce’s office that Stephanie wondered if she was being set up. 

The stranger on the bike was sitting gingerly in one of the chairs with a black eye she didn’t remember giving him. She cast another look at Bruce and noticed the growing shadow under his jaw.

“What’s going on?” she asked, seeing the thief look up. He grinned when Tim entered.

“You brought the prodigy too? How thoughtful,” he said, an edge to his voice.

“Stephanie,” Bruce said, ignoring him. He put a strong hand on her shoulder and forced her into a chair in front of his desk. “Are you working with him?”

“What?” both she and the good-looking stranger said at the same time.

Bruce looked exasperated already and Stephanie thought it was a little early to be this short-tempered, Marshal Wayne or not. He rounded the desk to sit behind it, fists balled tightly. “Both of you show up at the same time and one of my Jaegers goes missing.”

“You got it back,” the man grumbled.

“I don’t even know who this is,” Stephanie said. She looked at Tim for back up but Tim obviously didn’t think it was so ridiculous. “Tim, seriously, you think I’m some Kaiju-loving revenge artist?”

“Don’t know who I am,” the man scoffed beside her. “I was on every front page back in my day. You know, when pilots actually cared.”

Tim glared and started to say something but Stephanie was gawking. Black hair, blue eyes and a crooked smile, of course she had seen him before. Though, it was usually in more expensive clothes than a ratty biker jacket and jeans.

“No way,” she said, “you’re Jason Todd. Holy crap.” 

He grinned. Bruce did the opposite.

“I don’t believe in coincidences,” Wayne said. “You both have history with me and this program.”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Stephanie murmured. She didn’t come back for him. Mild dislike or not.

“I’d never work with her,” Jason said and Stephanie started to protest.

“Wait what? Why not?” she asked, offended that an obvious lunatic wouldn’t want her on his team.

“You’ve got too much going on under that mane of yours, blondie.” 

Stephanie glared. “And you’re dead so I wouldn’t start talking about baggage if I were you.” She looked at Bruce. “Do you just declare everyone dead when they stop working for you? What the hell, Marshal?”

“Yeah Bruce,” Jason said, eyes sharp. “Paper’s say this little doll is presumed dead off the coast of Indonesia.”

“That’s none of your business,” Tim snapped.

“I’m not your doll,” Stephanie said.

Wayne looked ready to throw his desk at all of them when another dark-haired man poked his head through the door.

“Well this all looks fun,” Dick Grayson, Head Pilot of the European Jaeger Program, said as he leaned against the door frame.

Stephanie Brown knew Grayson as much as the public did and if she believed the media, it was a lot. He seemed to thrive in the public spotlight and was on every talk show after every fight he was in, grin blinding in the flashes of the press. 

“Not now, Dick,” Bruce grumbled from his desk.

Jason was eyeing the new addition to the office with a sour look Stephanie almost thought was funny. She knew the family had its issues but seeing it in person was more intense than the internet rumors. 

It was hard not to know about the Wayne family. Bruce Wayne, upon losing his parents, had gone into seclusion until the Breach opened. Apparently this was the calling Wayne needed in his life and developed the Jaeger program to keep the damage to a minimum. He then began collecting orphans. First it was Dick Grayson off the coast of Russia after his family’s circus was part of the casualties. Dick trained to be a pilot but apparently was only drift compatible with Koriand’r from Africa. Stephanie had only seen them in passing in her short time as a pilot but they were so glued together, they always looked like they were having sex even if they were just gazing at each other over the cafeteria table.

No one was really sure where Bruce had found Jason Todd or why he adopted him but they became partners fairly quickly and won three fights before Jason was found in the wreckage of a Kaiju attack. He hadn’t gotten to the base in time to suit up. At least, that was the official story. Stephanie was seriously doubting all that now.

She had heard Bruce had adopted Tim while she was recovering. It was surprising, she didn’t even know when Tim’s parents had died and couldn’t find anything more than “deceased prior to adoption” when she investigated. And then there was Cass, when her mother committed treason and threw herself off a building in Hong Kong, Bruce Wayne had spent no time scooping her up. Stephanie loved having her friend on closer shores but there had to be an easier way to grab pilots. 

Truthfully she wasn’t sure any of the Wayne kids really knew each other with all of them being in different parts of the world at any given time. Or undead, in Jason’s case.

Dick stayed at the doorway and smiled at all of them, taking them in one at a time. His eyes rested on Tim with softness. “Hey Timmy,” he said, his smile soft.

Tim seemed to relax under his gaze. “How was the trip?” he asked.

“You know Cat Grant,” Grayson said. “Food was great, though. The Sonata Sisters are back too. Diana’s looking for you,” he said to Bruce. He must’ve been doing a press circuit. 

“She can wait,” he said. “So can you.”

“My baby brother’s back,” Grayson insisted. He smiled at Jason who rolled his eyes so hard Stephanie got a headache just watching it.

“Shut up,” Jason said, then stood. “All of you just shut up. Bruce.” He looked at the older man and looked like he wanted to say a million things but then said, “I’m leaving.”

“No you’re not,” Tim said, springing forward. 

“Just hold on, Jason,” Dick said. “We can’t just let you go.”

“Stuff it, Dick,” Jason said, though Stephanie wasn’t sure the last word was a name. “You just got here and now you’re going to act like you know what’s going on.”

Dick squared his shoulders but he couldn’t completely wipe the smirk from his face. “You’re joy ride is all over the news,” he said. 

“And if you were going to throw me in jail,” Jason said, casting a glance back at Bruce, “you’d have done it. But you can’t risk your reputation, can you?”

Bruce’s face was like stone. “You’d be killed if you went to jail,” he said plainly.

Stephanie gaped at him before looking at the others. Apparently no one else was surprised by this information. “How does that add up?” she asked. “I mean I’ve heard of police brutality but come on.”

“Not by the police,” Tim said. He looked pale and uncomfortable.

“Are we sure it was for them?” Dick asked, eyes flashing to Bruce.

“Who?” Stephanie asked. 

“Why don’t you ask instead of talking like I’m not here,” Jason said.

“Okay,” Dick said. “Are you working for the League?”

“I’m not telling you,” Jason said, trying to push past.

“Unbelievable,” Tim sighed.

“Enough!” Bruce commanded and Stephanie was sure she heard the things on Bruce’s desk rock. “Jason,” his eyes tracked the man-boy in place with a steeling blue stare, “your last movements were recorded coinciding with the last Kaiju attacks. I know you’re working for Ra’s.”

“Then why bring me here?” Jason had stopped his pursuit out of the door and crossed his arms. Stephanie wondered how much he actually wanted to leave. Especially if some League wanted him dead in jail.

“Because you’re my son,” Bruce said, “and you stole my machine. Same rules apply, even after all these years.”

A noise came from Tim and Stephanie looked at him to find him looking away from everyone. What she wouldn’t give to be in his head now, maybe she’d understand what was going on. 

“I’m not working for you again,” Jason said, but his tone had changed. It was still defiant but it wasn’t as hard, like he was begrudgingly giving something up Stephanie didn’t know about.

“You’re not a pilot,” Tim shot back, suddenly. “You can cook the meals.”

“Jason most definitely cannot cook,” Dick said with a laugh.

“Shut up,” Jason said.

“He could train them,” Dick suggested. “He was always a good fighter. He understands the Jaeger limitations too.”

“No,” Tim said, “No way. He doesn’t just get to come back and-”

“Who’s the League?” Stephanie asked, bored of the family time. It was all nice and happy but wasn’t getting anyone anywhere. She crossed her arms to match her legs. “Who’s Ra’s?”

Bruce held her eyes for a moment, giving her nothing. She instead turned to Tim for an answer but he wasn’t meeting her gaze.

“Ra’s is an international criminal that runs an underground organization,” Dick said like he was reciting the weather.

“Awesome,” Stephanie said. “I’m not working for them. Can I go eat now or do you want me as a family mediator?”

“Food sounds amazing,” Dick said like she had just invited him. “I think that’s about all we can do now. Come on Tim, let’s leave the Marshal to process his new instructor.”

Tim looked like he wanted to protest but decided against doing it verbally so he unfurled his arms and stormed out the door, leaving a dark cloud in his wake. Stephanie looked at Jason, curiously. He had squared his shoulders to Bruce and she wondered if this was their first meeting after his accident. She had no reason to think so, what kind of father, adoptive or otherwise, would leave their son alone after a terrible accident but something about this meeting felt reminiscent. The anger and conflicting emotions were well hidden but she thought she saw something in Jason’s unclenching hands and indirect looks that he was just as unsure about everyone as she was.

She suddenly wanted to ask him what really happened. She wanted to know if his situation was like her’s. He didn’t seem keen on forgiving, wasn’t back here by choice. With Tim’s cool reception since she returned, she wondered if Jason had the right idea. 

Was Marshal covering them up like dead bodies to hide a scandal? She wasn’t on the best terms with Wayne but she wasn’t sure she could believe that of him. And yet…

Dick looked at her expectantly. After one last glance at the two dark haired men, she followed him out into the hall. Tim was nowhere in sight.

“He’s your brother,” she said, unable to hold back some of the thoughts rushing through her head. “Not your real one but…”

“As real as any,” Dick said. He lead her back towards the cafeteria, nonplussed by her comment. “I didn’t know him well, though. I always regretted that.”

In the light, Stephanie could see the darker color of his skin that often got washed out by the talk show lights or lightened by the magazine covers. His designer button-up shirt hugged him tightly. They never let Stephanie keep the clothes. 

“You talk like he’s still dead,” she pointed out. “Did you know he was alive?”

Dick didn’t respond. He stared ahead, nodding to a few passing staff. 

“I’m glad to see you back,” he said after a few moments. Stephanie paused in her shock. They didn’t know each other, why would he even care? Dick didn’t notice and continued to walk so Stephanie had to run to catch up when she recovered. 

“Really?” she asked, incredulously.

He seemed to consider her for a moment. “I’m glad you’re okay,” he said but she wasn’t sure if he meant this instead of his earlier comment or as an addition to it.

“Most didn’t miss me,” she said, mostly to herself. She hadn’t been a favorite pilot. Yeah, she had been on the shows and sites, had her fair share of fame, but it had been Tim they loved. He gave better answers and didn’t get agitated like she did when they brought up personal questions. He handled their accusations of “recklessness” better too. Even the other pilots agreed, or so Stephanie heard second-hand from the old mech team she worked with.

“You’re fighting was unique,” he said. 

Now he was just being polite and Stephanie wished they were back to the cafeteria already. “You don’t have to say so,” she said. “We don’t know each other, it’s fine. I’m not going to talk about your family situation.”

Dick gave her a curious look. “You don’t remember?” he asked but Stephanie had no idea what he was talking about.

“Remember what?” she asked. 

Dick smiled and shook his head. “Guess it doesn’t matter.” But it sounded like it did. She didn’t recall any memorable moment with Grayson before. The most they saw of each other were the few meals in the same base. What could be worth remembering about that? Before Stephanie could ask again, he asked, “Have you and Tim drifted yet?”

It was such an odd question and sudden subject switch Stephanie took a moment to answer. 

“No,” she said, “I think he’s hesitant. Maybe he’s worried about what I’ll find if we do.”

“A lot happened to you both,” Dick said, “give it time.” He paused, a hand on his pocket. “I should see Kori. Give me a raincheck on lunch.”

It was breakfast but she didn’t mind getting out of his company. “Sure.”

He smiled and then hustled down a hallway to the right to the dorms. She wondered if things in the Shatterdome had always been this weird or if it was just another thing she had forgotten.


	5. Omega Trident

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All the in-fighting at the base means nothing when a Kaiju attacks.

Omega Trident was an emerald green mach 1 Jaeger that seemed to have emerged from the ocean the same moment the Kaiju did. The no-named pilots from a polynesian island appeared on the doorstep of Wayne Enterprises on the eve of the Jaeger program and had the longest running record. Some attributed to the aquatic nature of machine and the pilots tendency to meet the monster under water, the closest to the breach as possible. 

The name came from the three pronged-crown atop the head that was angled to glide smoother through the water but the standard weapon of the machine was the renowned spear that jetted from the forearm. It was the first of its kind to venture away from heavy-artillery into a more sustainable - but close combat - form of fighting. Mera and Arthur were legends among the pilots.

Arthur and Mera steadied the spear, on guard and watching for the Kaiju carefully. The readings on it were unlike any other and Arthur was having trouble spotting it in the dark hours of the morning. He felt Mera focus in on their surroundings and followed her thoughts as they scanned the water. 

The wreckage drifted almost peacefully past as they walked, a grim reminder of what they could lose.

“There,” Mera said and Arthur saw it too. A dark shadow under the water. Arthur readied the spear.

The large diamond head lay flat and suddenly broke the water like a whale breaching the surface. The blue eyes reflected a hundred times over in the water surrounding them and the wreckage. Two red strips ran down either side. The color pulsed with light like a heartbeat. 

It rose and kept rising, a goliath set upon the robot and it’s pilots. 

“I am with you, my King,” Mera said. A final word before the battle begun.

 

_Across the Sea…_

As the weeks went on, the countdown clock continued to click. Stephanie watched it tick to five weeks, four days while she ate, calculating. The tension was rising in the base. There was at least a week before the next attack, typically. Maybe two if they were lucky. But it was now the beginning of that painful time when everyone could no longer ignore the reason they were there. In three days a bigger food order than normal would arrive in preparation for unsaid disaster and no one was allowed to leave base come sunset tomorrow. 

Not that trainees were allowed to leave anyway. Her last taste of freedom had been the dramatic motorcycle chase a month back and she was still paying the price.

Leaning on her palm as she picked at her freeze-dried potatoes, she cast a glance at a table across the room full of the other ranger-hopefuls. The kiss with Tim had not gone over well. Nor had the “showing off” in capturing said kisser’s brother. She was lucky if Cass remembered she was actually human and needed to eat in time to make it to a scheduled meal but usually it ended up like this. Alone. Staring at the clock. Narrating to the spuds. 

Rumor was Jason actually had been sent to the kitchens to keep him as far away from, well, everything as possible but Stephanie had never seen him there. Not at any of the meals or in between. She was starting to believe they had shipped him off to prison, killer-underground-kaiju-lovers be damned until finally she spied him skulking behind a far-away corner of the base. He seemed to do it a lot, appearing through a door only to disappear around a corner a moment later with a wink or a grin and Stephanie had no idea where he was going. Or, for that matter, why he always seemed to catch her eye when she spied him as if saying “I know you see me”. Maybe he was plotting some revenge for her capturing him or maybe he liked her ass. All the same, it made her uneasy.

“Don’t stare too long,” a voice said as a blonde sat down beside Stephanie. She set the tray down so it spun and gave a sigh. “Those numbers will just start to blur and then you’ll dream them.”

Stephanie gave Dinah an appreciated smile. “I still hear the alarm in my dreams.”

Dinah gave a laugh and stopped spinning the tray. “Was hoping that would stop.” She stabbed at an ambiguous piece of meat but didn’t eat. She nodded towards the trainee table. “They still giving you the runaround?”

Stephanie shrugged. “Everyone wants to fight. It’s not just me, there’s barely any drift-compatible pairs.” She frowned, thinking of all the exercises that had failed with bad-partnering. With Tim it had been so easy. They just got each other.

“No surprise. There hardly ever is. You and wonder boy got picked pretty quickly last time right? Marshal’s been getting pretty stingy.” Dinah twirled her fork in her fingers. Her tight ponytail pulled her hair from her face, revealing high cheekbones. Stephanie was jealous of how good she looked in a ranger suit. There wasn’t much Stephanie wasn’t jealous of Dinah. 

“You and Ollie still getting along?” she asked instead of staring. 

“Hardly. He keeps trying to change the damn name.”

Stephanie grinned. “Of your Jaeger?”

Dinah nodded. “So much for a wedding present right? Here, you can name it, nevermind that’s too girly.”

Stephanie laughed. “He knows you can kick his ass right?”

“And it’s such a lovely one to kick.” 

“Didn’t need to know that.” Stephanie went back to spearing her vegetables with disdain. Dinah and Ollie were always dynamic and flashy and everything she had hoped, maybe, she could be with… She really needed to stop thinking about this.

“I like Canary Sonata,” she said. “Better than Green Archer or whatever he’d name it.”

“That’s what I’m saying. He picked the color, I got to name it!” Dinah waved over her partner as he entered the cafeteria and Stephanie thought it time to make her exit. Not that she didn’t like Ollie but Kori and Dick were displaying enough public affection and didn’t need the world’s second sexiest couple to push that knife deeper.

She rose to put her tray in the return slot when she caught sight of Dinah’s face. She was staring at Ollie, in a wordless communication Stephanie wasn’t privy to. But she knew the expression. Tension in the base had everyone making it but when a pilot started to, well, there was a superstition they were the first to know. 

Stephanie didn’t remember her deployments. From the time the alarm went off, the adrenaline was too high for her to place details. Whether she had known beforehand or not, she couldn’t recall. The fights themselves were a blur of jumbled memories, not all of them her own.

Then it happened. The red light flashed on and a high-pitched alarm sounded followed by an announcement for pilots.

Dinah rose swiftly, leaving her tray and took Ollie’s hand as they made their way to the launch bay. Dick and Kori were already out the door and the rest of the tables seemed to scramble.

Stephanie followed the pilots out the door, sprinting to keep up. Who was being deployed? Who was staying behind? How close was the Kaiju?

The lifts were gone when she got there and she took the stairs two at a time, hands shaking. It was on the west coast. It was coming here.

The door to the stairwell flew open and Stephanie sprinted to the launch bay where she saw the group gathering. The Warrior Sisters were talking to Bruce in low tones. Diana didn’t look panicked. That was a good sign, wasn’t it?

Bruce broke away from them and stood to address the pilots. Stephanie paused, remembering her place and hung back behind Dinah and Ollie.

“The kaiju Manta is en route to Hawaii,” Bruce said. “We’ve been put on secondary alert for a precaution.”

“Why?” Ollie asked. It was strange to be alerted before the Kaiju breached territory.

“Because this one’s big,” Bruce said. “Class four.”

A murmur ran through the group as the news sunk in. Class four? There had never been a Class four before.

“TTK and Omega Trident have been deployed,” Bruce went on. “They should be making contact soon. On the off-chance they don’t, Warrior Sophos will take lead with Alpha Bat as support.”

Ollie grunted and turned to walk away but Dinah grabbed his arm to keep him in the meeting. As Bruce went on, another person slipped inside the bay doors and hung back, close to Stephanie.

“Class four huh?” Jason huffed. “About time.”

Stephanie shot him a look. “Are you looking forward to this?” she asked, disgust on her voice.

“I’m not the one fighting it,” Jason said. “But it goes to prove the point, right? That these bugs are getting bigger.”

“You knew they would?”

Jason gave her a questioning look before grinning. “Follow the pattern, Blondie. First monster that crawled out of the sea was less than 200 feet tall. Now we’re fighting 300-foot monsters on a monthly basis. You didn’t see that they were growing?”

Of course she had. They were becoming more common too. The attack was way too soon. They should’ve had two more weeks. 

Jason must’ve guessed her answer or simply didn’t care because he turned back to the group, his eyes resting on Tim. She saw him now, next to Cass, shoulders tense and stiff. 

“Worried about your boyfriend going up against it? I would be.”

His words were casual but they cut deep. Everything suddenly clicked into place. It should’ve before.

Cass’s new partner. Tim’s new assignment. Alpha Bat’s new paint job. They were drifted. Tim had drifted with Cass. Stephanie didn’t stand a chance at partnering with him anymore because he was already in a more perfect pairing.

“You didn’t know,” Jason said and there was a tenderness to his voice she didn’t expect.

“I didn’t want to,” she answered, honestly for the first time. It felt like she was breaking all over again. Worse yet, she felt stupid. So, so stupid for hanging around both of them, thinking she had a shot. Thinking she’d ever be able to have it all back.

A light touch made her jump. Jason’s finger traced the scar on her arm, sending a shiver and full-on dread into her stomach. She pulled away but he didn’t seem to mind. 

“Thought I got you deeper,” he said. “Glad I didn’t.”

She felt his eyes on her as she left the bay, desperate to be away from everyone and everything.

Her room was too small and shared with a two other trainees. Instead, she walked to top roof overlooking the flight decks. Used for maintenance, during a deployment all maintenance teams were assigned to standby on the Jaegers leaving Stephanie a secluded spot to watch the action.

She didn’t need a newscaster to tell her what was going on. The way things moved on the decks told her how close or far the Kaiju was. For the most part, it was all prep work. 

Then the runners started. It was like electricity passing through the base, igniting fires in small groups. The helicopters started up, the teams began sprinting to the their posts and the lights changed patterns. Stephanie’s stomach dropped and she felt her lunch return. 

If they were deploying, it meant TTK and Omega Trident went down.

The first line of helicopters went out to scout the area and provide any rescue they could. The second squad was already giving their blades rotation in anticipation to launch. She felt the base rumble as the doors opened under her, saw the sea dip into the bottom levels as the Jaegers rose.

Her heart was frozen as she watched the goliaths launch. They raced out to sea as quickly as giants could. Tim was in one of them. Her best friend beside him. To face a monster that already downed two Jaegers. 

She suddenly felt very cold in the ocean winds, sea salt licking her face and hair.


	6. Tough Breaks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason reflects on the path taken and losses yet to come. (I really, really appreciate all the comments! They mean the world to me. I'm glad you like this story, I'm just trying to have fun)

Jason tried not to believe in ghosts, despite his current standing as one. As he watched Stephanie Brown walk away from the hanger, it wasn’t a ghost he saw. It was a girl trying to die again and make it permanent. Hanging around Jaegers did that - made ghosts, caused death.

Maybe that was why he followed Bruce up to the command center where Oracle followed the fight’s action. She pulled up every news scene she could of the fight between Hawaiian teams and the Kaiju alongside the technical readouts. Maybe he could feel the ghosts stirring.

Each Jaeger sent out a read-out of their vitals along with a virtual map of the surroundings so they could basically see the outline of the sea and land like a virtual video game. The satellite readouts overlaid the rest of the information making for fight that looked like a high-tech game of pong. News and rescue choppers along with the Jaegers cameras gave them visuals only for as long as they were in tact. Jason knew visuals was the first to go in the fight.

“Holding strong,” Oracle said, boosting the vital signs. “But Manta is fast. Look at those readouts.”

“They’re always fast in water,” Bruce said, leaning over the console as he watched the fight. Omega Trident lead the charge against the monster while TTK tried to circle and powerhouse from behind. “Why is it so big?”

Oracle shook her head, listening in to the communication of the pilots. They talked a lot during fights, especially Bart and Conner. The younger pilots felt the need to verbalize their thoughts to everyone else despite knowing each other through the Drift. Partnering made it difficult too when you wanted the other Jaeger in on the plan. 

“They’re evolving,” Jason said. His words drew heads and eyes as Bruce, Oracle, Dick and Kori realized he was there. Forgotten as always.

“I don’t have time for theories,” Bruce said. “I need facts.” He turned back to Oracle. “Get Palmer and Holt on the line. I need them analyzing everything.”

“Analyze all you want,” Jason said, “it won’t make a difference. They’re evolving, Bruce. And they’ll keep evolving until they’ve beaten us.”

“Go team,” Oracle mumbled as she typed. 

“We expected harder fights,” Kori said, her bright eyes unafraid to look at Jason. “Generals send in scouts first. Then challengers.”

Jason tried hard not to roll his eyes at the only person willing to talk to him. “Then what’s our end game?” he asked. “Wait until they send their very best, beat them and hope they give up?”

He saw Bruce’s shoulders tense and directed his words towards the marshal. 

“That’s not a plan,” he said. “All the shit you give Talia, at least they-”

“Shut up,” Bruce hissed. Jason sensed how painful it was to talk about Talia before, during their attempt at debriefing when Jason was captured but he was surprised by the hatred he heard now. It wasn’t like Bruce.

“Something’s wrong,” Oracle said, breaking the conversation. Something on the vitals screen started blinking and the chatter was too garbled for Jason to hear.

Dick leaned forward, listening with his eyes closed while Kori watched the screens. Her hand rested on his back, like their connection existed through physical touch. 

“They’re going down,” Dick said in voice Jason hadn’t heard in years. 

“Which?” Bruce asked, turning back to the feeds.

“Omega,” Kori. “They’re drowning. TTK is injured.”

“Activating protocol,” Mera’s voice said through the comms. Jason’s heart sank. 

“Let’s introduce him to Atlantis,” Arthur said. 

Then there was nothing. Their vitals went down and Oracle rubbed her eyes.

“Omega Trident is down,” she said.

“Manta?” Bruce asked.

It was quiet while Oracle used the satellite to search. “TTK, we lost visuals. Can you confirm Manta is down?”

Static cracked over the mic, then a voice broke through.

“We can confirm the asshole is still kicking,” Conner said.

“Lost an arm,” Bart said.

“Still got three more.”

“I think we just pissed it off a little. Anyone got bug spray?”

“Man, I really wanted to take Cass on a date this weekend.” 

The remarks were casual but everyone heard it in their voice. Without backup, neither pilot thought they’d be able to take it. The screens revealed most of their ammunition was spent and their right side was at half power.

Bruce pulled the comm mic to him and punched the channel buttons. His voice was stone when he spoke.

“Launch,” he said.

The alarms in the base sounded. Somewhere below them, the teams - Tim and Cass, Diana and Donna - were launching to help the fight. But no one believed they'd get there in time to help the struggling team. There was no hope to save the remaining team.

In the end, TTK fell.

It took three hours for the two LA teams to take down Manta. They returned, with heavy damage and help from support helicopters but the coast was saved. All it cost was four pilots.

 

Jason decided to get drunk. Some part of his brain, the part that was still a ranger, tried to justify it and even argue against it. Easier to cope and relax with alcohol than stay up all night with nightmares and countless thoughts of the fight. But honestly, Jason wanted to numb every part of his brain, ranger and otherwise.

He found himself in the kitchen drinking from a bottle of wine and, well, yeah. He was hiding. Fuck, he was actually hiding.

“Scoot over.”

Jason looked up and at first only saw her outline. He didn’t need to see the details to know her brunette hair cascaded halfway down her back when not in a ponytail, she stood three inches taller than him and preferred to rip the sleeves off her pilot uniforms.

He held out the bottle to her. “You need it more than I do.”

Donna grabbed the bottle and took a few long swallows of the wine before sitting down next to him on the concrete floor.

“Thanks for not saying congratulations,” she said, handing the bottle back.

He took it, tipping it up and swallowed. Whiskey would’ve been better. Whiskey burned on the way down, wine just sunk. He made a note to buy a bottle next time he smuggled smokes in.

“Surviving isn’t something you want to celebrate,” he said, thinking back on the fight. He remembered his stomach dropping as he watched his not-brother race to the grave of four pilots. “Surviving makes it harder.”

Donna whispered something. It sounded greek but Jason wouldn’t know. She took the bottle back and stared out at the rest of the kitchen. Silver counters and big appliances. Machines neither of them really knew how to operate. He wondered if she was comforted by that too or if he was strange for feeling better around machines he didn’t have to pilot.

“I never told you I was glad you were back,” she said after a few minutes of silence. 

Jason felt his cheeks warm and blamed it on the wine.

“Tried to keep a low profile,” he said, not sure why he was explaining. “Easier.”

She turned her eyes on him and he wished he was drinking alone again. Donna was a woman now. Before, when he knew her, she was bright-eyed, bushy-tailed. Still strong, still drop-dead gorgeous but now… 

Fuck, now it was like Donna had seen the cosmos and never flinched. If anyone made him feel small, insignificant, minor.... It was her.

“I didn’t know you were alive,” she said. She smiled at him, kindness without a shadow. “I’m so, so glad you are.”

“Damn, Troy,” Jason said, stealing the bottle back. He didn’t drink. “You know how to make a guy feel special.” But he didn’t. He felt dirty. Donna accomplished in doing everything Bruce tried - Jason actually felt guilty. But that was just the wine.

“Did you mother make it?” she asked. It was a kind question. Everything about Donna was kind. She piloted Jaegers before him and after. She fought aliens regularly and still, she was so kind.

Still, Jason didn’t answer until he tipped the bottle back and drained it.

“No,” he said.

She nodded, hugging her knees to her chest.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

“You’re the one that just lost people.”

“We all lost people.”

“We all will,” Jason said, standing up. He reached into the supply box, pulling another red free from the packaging. He took a corkscrew to it, anything to keep his hands busy. “This won’t stop, Donna.”

She watched him from the floor, content where she was. “Is that why you’re working with the League of Assets?” she asked.

The cork came free with a _pop_. He handed her the bottle.

“Something has to change.” He didn’t look away this time, meeting her eye and all it’s pain, knowledge, judgement.

She turned the bottle around in her hand, taking several moments to form her response. “I think,” she finally said, “that’s why you’re here.” She held the bottle up to him in toast or cheers or maybe some greek tradition and then drank. Jason watched until she stopped, set the bottle down and started crying.

He spent the rest of his night in his room, unable to comfort anyone.


	7. In Memoriam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's hard to pay respects when you don't know where you belong. Or when you have nothing to wear.

Jason still felt hungover three days later when the memorial was scheduled. Showering helped but as he stared at the only clothes he had - the streetwear he was caught in and the work suit Bruce gave him - everything felt as sickening to him as it did two hours before.

Finally, he got up and made his way to the pilot quarters.

The doors were large and metal, able to withstand bombings, hurricanes and earthquakes but the angles made every footstep echo as Jason walked. He talked himself out of knocking three times before his fist finally fell on the door and he shoved his hands back in his pockets to hold back any knee-jerk reactions.

The hinges creaked when the door opened. Dick was nearly dressed and Jason saw Kori behind him on the bed, braiding her hair.

“Jason,” Dick said. His voice was soft, trying to hide the surprise. His mouth opened again, probably about to ask why the hell Jason was there when his eyes scanned the rags. He grinned and opened the door further. “Need a shirt?”

Jason huffed and stepped inside. 

“Hello Jason,” Kori said with a nod. She didn’t seem surprised or annoyed by the intrusion but there was little Kori wasn’t willing to share.

“Kori.”

Dick pulled a dress shirt down from the closet - which was a pole stuck between the walls - and pulled a pair of pants from a dresser that looked too nice to belong in the base. The whole room looked too nice for the whole base. Jason wondered if the curtain decorations were Kori’s idea or Dick’s.

“Thanks,” Jason mumbled, checking the shirt. Dick was strong and muscular but he was lean. Jason liked his bulk but it might make this shirt situation difficult.

“The red tie,” Kori said, motioning with her hand. Red sounded flashy but Dick picked one that looked nearly black with crimson details. Apparently they knew how to fashion for funeral.

Jason nearly gave everything back when there was another round of knocking at the door. 

“Gonna stare at it or put it on?” Dick asked, walking to the door. It creaked again as Jason cussed in his mind. “Oh.”

The “oh” made Jason turn and pause in buttoning the shirt. Stephanie, the blonde not-dead pilot stood there taking in the current situation.

“I-” she said, then seemed to rethink. She stared at Jason, as if unsure what to say. “Can I borrow something to wear?”

Kori swooped past and reached for Stephanie, bringing her into the room. “Of course, dear. How are you?”

Stephanie looked stiff as Kori lead her to the bed. “Uh,” she said and sat when Kori motioned for her to. “You know.”

“Yes, I think it’d be hard on you. You, Tim and Cassandra were very close to the departed.”

Suddenly the uncomfortable look on Stephanie’s face made sense. She didn’t know how to mourn her fallen comrades with her current ones. 

Kori pulled what looked like a folded black sheet on a hanger from the closet and handed it to Stephanie. She looked as skeptical as Jason did about the “outfit”. Then her eyes met his.

“Come on, let’s let the girls get ready,” Dick said. He pulled Jason away and out the door. When they were in the hallway, he took a deep breath.

“Finally you don’t look as pretty as you pretend to be,” Jason said. He finished buttoning the shirt and reached for the tie. It was tight but as long as he didn’t flex, it’d work.

“Ha,” Dick said, handing the tie over. “Just as vicious as ever. Even today.”

Jason tried not to feel guilty for a brother that had abandoned him.

“Thanks for the shirt,” he said instead.

“How are you doing?” Dick asked, not backing down when Jason started walking away. Instead he walked with him.

“Let’s not get brotherly,” Jason said. “You were just the only person my size.”

“Bruce is your size,” Dick said. “But alright, let’s get practical.” He grabbed Jason’s arm and his grip was hard, stopping him. “Why’d you steal that Jaeger?”

Bruce asked Jason the same question a month back.

“Because I could,” Jason repeated.

“Except you couldn’t.” Dick grinned and let go. The brothers stared at each other, the morning of a pilot memorial. 

“Yeah well,” Jason finally said, “I tried.”

Dick sighed and rubbed his temples in one hand. “What are you trying to do?” he asked. “After Bromista, you could do anything. You were free of this life. Why’d you run to Talia?”

Jason could’ve laughed. Dick still believed in things and it was almost nice to think someone could. It was nice to think maybe he still had an older brother looking after him even while the world went to shit.

“Talia came to me,” Jason said. “Because I wasn’t the first or last one to die fighting a losing battle against these things.”

They heard the creaking echo down the hall and footsteps. Kori was wearing heels with her black pantsuit but Stephanie kept her black combat boots on with the floor-length wrap-dress. Her hair was braided and it was different enough to look nice for the occasion.

Kori wrapped her arm around Dick’s in a fluid motion like river around rock and Jason saw Dick soften. That intimacy was both comforting and uncomfortable.

“Come,” Kori said. “We should go.”

The amphitheater filled with guests from all nations and media. On-base pilots sat upfront while camera bots floated in the air spaces between the ceiling and lights. 

Dick and Kori moved forward, already engaged in conversations with the Daily Planet and numerous other guests before getting through the doors. Jason hung back and slid against the back wall. He wasn’t a pilot, not anymore. 

The shirt was uncomfortably tight and he shifted, wondering why he felt so strongly he needed to be here. On stage, the four portraits of the pilots hung down from the rafters like judging idols but none of them looked like their living counterpart. Bart had been too loud to ever look that composed and Conner prefered flannel than a suit. Arthur grew a beard since the portrait was taken and Mera’s eyes were too dull to capture how intense she piloted. They were flat, weak representations of what was really lost.

“I hate these things.”

Jason looked over and saw Stephanie had taken up space beside him. Her bare shoulders revealed more scars from her injury including a nasty tearing under her shoulder blade. She held her arms crossed over her chest, looking as uncomfortable as she did in Dick’s room.

She looked up when he didn’t answer and saw him watching her. It made her squirm.

“What?”

Jason shrugged, as much as he could in the shirt, and looked away. 

“I just mean,” she said, thinking his silence was judgement, “look at this. All the fuss is so empty and the way people act at these things just feels like…” Her eyes scanned the crowd as she scowled, her shoulders stiff in discomfort. “Death. It feels like death.”

 _Or like a hospital_ , Jason thought. The way people danced around the subject while still trying to figure out the business. He understood her apprehension. But it wasn’t death she was feeling from everyone.

“Fear,” he said.

“What?”

“It’s fear.” He saw it on every face, from the reporters trying to score a new story to the base workers looking to pay their respects. “No one wants to be here because this means we lost. We’ve been losing for a while.”

He heard Stephanie sigh and looked over. She leaned further against the wall and stared up at the lights. 

_She knows_ , Jason thought. He couldn’t figure out why but knew she felt the same way he did about this. The Jaeger program wasn’t working anymore. And this girl, this undead pilot, might be the only other person on base that understood that.


	8. Conspiracy Theory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stephanie is about to learn exactly what Jason Todd is about. She's not sure she's ready for it.

Stephanie never liked thinking about the worst part of the fall but always ended up in the early morning hours weighing the “worsts” against each other.

Seeing herself fall and hit against the Jaeger like a lifeless doll always woke her in a cold sweat. It was Tim’s perspective but she felt the back pain every time she hit. Sometimes, the dreams were just her laying there in the rubble, looking up at the Kaiju. She was always stuck, unable to move, unable to help Tim fight. Always useless, just an ant under the Kaiju’s foot.

There was the hospital too. She hated counting it but if she were honest, sometimes she could still smell the medicine or floor cleaner or whatever scent kept coming back to her. And it haunted her, when she caught a whiff of it again. Waking up alone with a hole in her mind was one of the most painful days of her life. And she re-lived it every morning.

Sometimes, the morning began earlier than others. Sometimes, she counted the hours she slept the unlucky ones of the night.

“Never gets easier.” A tray set down besides her’s and Jason climbed onto the bench. He stabbed a fork into his eggs in disgust. “These things are everything wrong in the world.”

She blinked against the sleep she didn’t get and watched him chew before scooping up another mouth full. “The hell are you doing here?” she asked when he reached for a glass of orange juice.

He cocked an eyebrow at her as he sipped, then set the cup down. “The other recruits don’t sit with you because they’re intimidated,” he said instead of answering. “You don’t sit with the other pilots because _you’re_ intimidated. So, you sit here alone, day after day, eating these shit eggs.”

He said everything in a friendly manner but Stephanie couldn’t decide if she was being insulted or not.

“Is there a reason the trash man is telling me about my life?” she asked. Was this some kind of pick-up? He was really, really bad at it, if it was. She’d heard better at the bars downtown and those mostly consisted of “who knows how much time we have left?”

“I’m wondering out loud,” he said.

“About?”

He smiled at her. “About whether you still think you’re getting in the pilot seat again or if you’re just wasting time.”

Now she felt insulted. She pushed her tray away from her to signal she was finished with eating and the conversation.

“If you’re trying to recruit me to your cult,” she said, throwing her legs over the bench in order to leave, “you’re 'wondering aloud' at the wrong girl.”

“I wanted to pilot,” Jason said. It was not something Stephanie expected and it stayed her retreat long enough for him to continue. “I stole that Jaeger to pilot it.”

Laughter bubbled out before Stephanie could stop it. Big, tough macho-man stole a freaking JAEGER instead of trying out again. He was just like her and here she was eating alone thinking she was so stupid for feeling the way she did.

“Okay, settle down,” Jason said, frowning at the glances they were getting.

“Who were you going to pilot it with?” Stephanie asked, leaning against the table. “Seriously. And how would you even launch it?! Where do you hide a freaking Jaeger? In a building?” She laughed again, picturing Bruce Wayne looking for a giant-fucking-robot. Oh look, it’s right there.

Jason rubbed his eyes with a sigh, obviously flustered. “Okay, look. The Wayne Foundation isn’t the only organization fighting the Kaijus.”

“Ahh, you mean ‘the League’,” Stephanie said, adding some creepy tones to portray how serious she believed it. “So they steal Jaegers from the people that build them and fight them instead of trained rangers?”

“No,” Jason said, not backing down from her sarcasm. “They actually research what’s attacking us and formulate a plan.”

Stephanie turned back around so she sat correctly at the table and examined Jason. He was pretty but not the way Dick was. He hadn’t been flashy during his pilot career. A quick search revealed he wasn’t well liked, at all. In fact, Stephanie had been horrified to read about the theories around his death.

Officially, Jason was off-base when he “died” and the report showed he never reached the base in time to launch. But conspiracy theorists and the media had dug into the story, eager to learn about one of the earliest pilot deaths. Apparently, standing theory was that Jason was on base when the Kaiju emerged from the breach. Some stories had accounts from work crew spotting him as early as an hour before the attack. 

And of course, no one was allowed off-base two weeks leading up to an attack. So how could Jason be caught in the city hours /after/ early detection alerted the base to a kaiju?

Media painted Jason as a coward who ran from his post. Stephanie wasn’t ready to believe it just yet, but she did smell something in his file. She couldn’t figure out if it was roses or shit, yet.

“We know what we’re up against,” Stephanie said, though less harsh than before. “Aliens.”

Jason must have sensed her interest because he rose from his seat. “Lemme show you something,” he said. He picked up his tray and headed towards the trash by the door.

“I have training,” she said, running after him. She dumped her food and hustled to keep up with his stride.

“You don’t need training,” Jason said, turning into the hall. “You’ve been at the top of the class since the third day. Only reason you haven’t been picked is because you don’t have a partner.” He jammed his thumb into the elevator button.

“Wait, what?”

Jason grinned. “You’re good, kid. Too good for any of those other recruits.”

Stephanie felt oddly flattered as they waited for the lift. Not that his praise meant anything. She didn’t need him to notice her, she needed Bruce to. But if that were true, if Bruce did notice her, what good was that without a partner? Tim was drifting with Cass now. They made an amazing pair. She couldn’t compete with that. And, if she wanted to be honest with herself, she wasn’t sure she wanted to.

Jason snapped his fingers in front of her face.

“Let’s go, space cadet,” he said, holding the elevator door for her. 

She stepped in. “Jackass.”

When they reached the floor, she realized he was taking her back to his room. Maybe his pick-up line was a lot more elaborate than she was used to. Still, who needed sex this early in the morning?

While she contemplated this idea, Jason lead her down the hall to his door. He pushed it open easily and Stephanie wondered if Bruce allowed locks for the guy that obviously had issues.

She stepped inside, ready to punch him if anything got touchy when she saw the wall.

“Oh.”

“I’m not crazy,” Jason said but Stephanie wasn’t about to believe him. Because his wall - his entire room - was covered in paper. Articles from science magazines and essays printed from the computer. Pictures and maps with locations highlighted and circled.

Basically the kind of room a crazy person had.

Stephanie backed away slowly.

“Nope, none of that,” Jason said as he grabbed her wrist. He closed the door and pulled her in so she could look at everything closer. A closer look. At the crazy. With the crazy man.

“Look, I gave you the benefit of the doubt but-”

“October 24th, coast of Indonesia,” Jason said and Stephanie froze. He pointed at the map where one of the circles had a star by it. “Black Roman attacked after six months of inactivity.” Jason kept her gaze, intent on making her believe his words. “Before the attack, every attack was north and south. That was the first major western attack.” He pointed to the blue and red circles on the map to illustrate his words. Stephanie could recite every one of those circles. Every pilot could.

She didn’t understand. What did the purple circle around her fight mean?

“Why?” Jason asked.

“What?”

“Why did they attack that area,” Jason asked, watching her read the map. When she didn’t answer he motioned to the the west coast of the US.

“Hawaii,” he said and the pang of guilt and fear and sorrow echoed through Stephanie as it did every time she thought of Bart and Conner. Good friends of Tim’s. Good pilots and friends of her’s.

“The last three attacks have targeted Asia and Australia,” he said. “And then suddenly, Hawaii. Why?”

Stephanie felt her anger spark to life.

“They’re aliens,” she spit. “Who cares why they do things? It doesn’t matter why they destroy, just that they destroy.”

Jason seemed sad at her reaction. “That’s the motto, right? They punch first, we punch back. And you’re a good puncher, Steph.”

She wasn’t sure she liked how comfortable he seemed with her name. Discomfort creeped into her spin as she looked back at the map.

“It’s not working,” Jason said. “And you know it. I know you know it. These aren’t monsters, Stephanie, they’re invaders.”

Stephanie glared at him, wanting to punch /him/ when his words seemed to tick through her brain. She remembered her attack, a detail she never recalled before. 

The attack was a surprise. Because all the action was on the West Coast. “They always take us out of the fight early,” she told Tim on the flight over. Rotating pilots meant better training on all coasts but she had resented flying away from the attack zone.

When it came towards them, Tim and Stephanie were the only pilots ready. It was a surprise. 

Jason’s words clicked into place.

“Holy shit,” Stephanie said.


	9. Scientific Approach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is this a team-up in the works or just a fluke instance?

“They’re planning.”

Jason watched as Stephanie shuffled through the papers. He’d handed her reports - all of the reports - and she had them scattered on the floor in piles. He sipped his coffee as she worked, watching the way she shifted her attention from one detail to another.

“Eliminating one location and moving to another,” she said a few minutes later. Her fingers traced directions from the breach to the encounters. “Never the same way twice, unless they reached civilization.”

Jason brewed another pot of coffee and set a mug down next to the blonde, a grin pulling at his lips. She emptied the mug in one drink and went back to reading. After another ten minutes, she looked up.

“How are they communicating?”

Finally. Jason replaced the bookmark in his novel and threw his legs over the side of the bed. 

“That’s the question.”

Stephanie sighed and pushed her hair from her face. “If we kill them, how could they possible coordinate all this? I mean, this is planning. This is strategy. They’re targeting our weakest spots.”

It felt so good to finally hear someone else see the truth behind everything going on and how futile all this fighting actually was. 

“That’s what we’re trying to find out,” Jason said. “And it’s not just targeting places.” He wondered if she’d picked up another pattern in the reports.

“They’re adapting,” she said. Her eyes were strong, full of anger at this truth. “Not evolving, Jason. **Adapting**. To us, to our Jaegers.” She looked down at her own mess of notes. She’d spread the monsters out like a ripple and she sat at a center of the waves. 

“They’re learning our attacks,” she whispered to herself but Jason heard her fear. Her attack wasn’t just a random occurrence - it was engineered to slaughter. Take out defense, then population. She was setup to fail.

She got to her feet suddenly and looked at Jason.

“Who else knows?”

Jason shrugged. “There’s not much something to tell,” he said. He loved seeing this determined look on her face. It was like she could kill a Kaiju on willpower alone. Nothing like the girl sneaking around the base. 

Jason loved being right.

“The science team is looking at the creature’s weak points,” Stephanie said. “Not how they’re communicating. This could change the **war** , Jason.” She pushed Jason’s door open and took off down the hall giving him very little time to jump up and follow.

“If you’re going to Marshal,” he said, matching her strides easily, “I can already tell you how that will go.”

“I’m not going to Bruce,” she said, at ease with using his name. He wondered if it was easier thinking of the Marshal as a person instead of an authority. Unlike him, who much preferred defying some anonymous Big Wig than, well, his father.

“I’m going to Tim.”

Jason raised his eyebrows and watched her turn down the hallway to what he assumed was Tim’s hall. She went three doors before stopping in front of one and then paused.

“Well?” Jason urged. All the determination vanished at the site of a fucking door. “You’re backing down now?”

She glared at him. “You’re such a dick.” Then she pounded on the door.

“Different brother.”

There was no answer from the other side of the door and Stephanie again pushed her hair out of the way.

“Must be training.”

“Or in the bay,” Jason said. “Or off base.”

Stephanie made a noise that sounded like a bird trying to growl and stormed across the hall. Jason followed, trying not to laugh. She stopped and pounded her fist against the metal door.

“CASS!” She banged and called the name again. “Cassandra!”

The door opened to a very tired-looking korean girl. The same one Jason remembered from the first day. He’d been avoiding Cassandra Cain on base. Not out of fear but more self-preservation.

“Stephanie,” Cassandra said with a low voice. “You should be at training.” Her gaze move to Jason and he felt very small in front of the girl that was a head shorter than him. “Jason.”

“Hi,” he said, forcing a smile. “We’ve got some interesting theories going on, thought you’d like in on the pow wow.”

Cass turned back to Stephanie. The blonde looked like she went through the dryer with her messy hair and disgruntled expression. Cassandra pushed the door open further.

“Jason showed me reports,” Stephanie started as she entered. Jason followed, scanning the room. Outside of the bed and a dresser, there was no other furniture. A hot pad sat on the dresser with a pan and kettle next to it. Jason spotted a bo staff by the bed.

“-so how are they communicating?” Stephanie fell into the bed, looking up at the other girl with pleading eyes. “You see it, right? This is huge.”

“Kaiju are big,” Cassandra said.

Stephanie groaned. “Cass.”

Jason found himself being examined by the pilot and he crossed his arms.

“What difference would it make?” Cassandra asked him.

“Simple strategy,” Jason said. “Cut communication to the troops. Or, better yet, confuse them. At the very least, we’d have a better idea or what team to prepare right as they exit the breach or, maybe, before they come out of it.”

Cassandra nodded her head. “I believed them more than animals,” she said. “They fight too well for simple predators.”

“So you’ll help?” Stephanie asked. “We need to convince the people in power to see this potential.”

“And you believe they’ll listen to me?” 

Stephanie’s mouth pulled tight, like a smile she wasn’t willing to give. “You’re the world’s best pilot,” she said. “Your opinion matters.”

“To fashion magazines,” Cassandra said.

“To Bruce,” Jason corrected. “He trusts you. You present the idea to him, he’ll listen to you long enough to be reasoned with.”

Cassandra’s eyebrows furrowed. She looked at Stephanie. “He’d believe you.”

Stephanie shook her head. “Maybe or maybe he’d tell me there were more important things to research. You know how he is.”

Cass tipped her head in consideration. “Maybe. But I’m not a scientist either.”

“I tried Tim,” Stephanie said. “He’s… you know how his mind works. He’d be able to see it better. But he’s not here.”

“Visiting graves,” Cassandra said. She pretended not to see Stephanie flinch. 

“Bit early, isn’t it?” Jason asked. “They’ve already got, like, a football field of flowers each. At least wait until those are dead.”

He didn’t expect the punch to have as much power behind it as it did. And she was smart enough to hit his cheek and not bone, saving her hand. Stephanie Brown knew how to fight. This was something Jason Todd found out in detail as he fell to the floor, already feeling the swelling in his cheek.

“Shut your fucking mouth,” she hissed, standing over him. Cassandra held her arm as if preventing her from hitting him again. 

Odds said one of them would kick his ass. Maybe he’d be able to take on the blonde but Cassandra - Jason didn’t like those chances. And he didn’t need to. This wasn’t something he really wanted to fight about.

“Too far,” he said, holding his hands up. “My bad.”

Words weren’t going to calm her, he could see it in her eyes. This was a rage she’d been holding onto. 

“Maybe,” Cassandra said, still holding onto the girl, “you should leave now.”

Jason pulled himself up and straightened his shirt out.

“I started this little plan,” Jason said, not wanting to back down yet. “You joined my team, can’t kick me out now.”

“You shared your conspiracy theory,” Stephanie said, “so just go.”

“Why did you share?” Cassandra asked. She was technically protecting him from Stephanie but he had a feeling she’d be the first to attack if she didn’t like his answer. “You gave up the fight.”

“Never,” Jason spit, feeling the burn of anger again. Of course she’d only see him as the failure like the rest of him. She wasn’t special. “I’ve been fighting this a long time. You think Talia wants them to end the world? Stop being so naive.”

“Kaiju are good for business,” Cassandra said. “She profits from war.”

He fisted his hands but held them at his sides. How could they know anything when they bought into media propaganda. Talia was just a criminal to them, not a person. Not a business woman with brains to match the Marshal’s or the resources to research the Kaiju remains before government committees delayed and spoiled them. The world was so black and white to them, they couldn’t see past the illegal activity. Or that stepping on buildings made just as many jobless, homeless, starving people as the Kaiju themselves.

“We all profit from war,” he said instead. “We’d be nothing without those monsters. So which one of us is really telling the truth?”

Both girls seemed surprised by his response but Jason was tired of trying to prove himself. He left the room and let the door close behind him. 

He needed a smoke.


	10. Dearly Departing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce doesn't mean to be a dick, he just comes off that way.

It was infuriating watching Jason leave with only one bruise on his face. Stephanie wanted to jump on him and punch him over and over again with everything in her body. That rage scared her. It wasn’t like she was a stranger to anger but to hate someone she barely knew didn’t feel right.

She left Cass with barely a word, needing to channel the energy some how. If she could get to Tim and tell him about everything, she’d feel better. He’d know what to do and tell Bruce and then plans would be mad and then the war might end.

She went so far as the cemetery before backing down. The line still wrapped around the building with people eager to pay their respects to the fallen pilots. Inside their holograms would be illuminated, staring down as lifeless giants along with some of the broken parts of their Jaeger recovered from the fight. Kids would reach under the roped barriers to touch the metal in awe while their parents read plagues with interesting facts on the program.

Tim would be grieving Conner and Bart, his best friends. Cass had dated Conner off and on. Stephanie never got a straight answer from Cass about their official relationship and she hadn’t spoken to Conner in over three years. Depending on how drift-linked they were, Tim would have that love in his heart too.

Even in her state, she realized just how wrong it was to bother him at the gravesites of their dead friends. It wasn’t a scene she needed. 

So she went to Bruce.

He beckoned her into his office after a moment of knocking but kept working on his reports without looking up. She stood, willing him to meet her eyes. He didn’t.

Instead, he finished reading the paper, flipping it and picked up the second. He spent a solid minute of silence cementing his true authority while she stood, not backing down. Only when he finished the report, set the papers back into an ordered pile and leaned back in his chair did he look up.

“You weren’t at training,” he said by way of greeting.

Stephanie decided this wasn’t going to be an easy conversation.

“I’ve been talking with Jason,” she said. 

“You shouldn’t,” he said. His expression was just as harsh as usual with eyes cold and calculating. “He’s a known criminal.”

“He’s your son,” Stephanie said, pushing on. “And he’s more known to be dead. But he’s got some insight to the Kaiju activity that you’re too stubborn to see.”

She imagined Bruce frowned more. Imagined, because his face didn’t change but she wanted to think her words hurt, just a little bit. She still believed Bruce could be human.

“I know.”

“Wait, what?”

Bruce pulled open a drawer and reached in. He placed a file on his desk, thick with information.

“I’m aware of Jason’s insight,” Bruce said, opening the file and flipping though some of the papers. Stephanie could see maps marked in read and spreadsheets filled with numbers. “The Kaiju are systematically targeting sections of the world based on resistance and evolving to counter our Jaeger offenses.”

He looked up from his reading to meet her eyes and turned the folder around so she could read it. Stephanie fell into the chair opposite his desk and peeked at the paper before her.

Scientific reports. She scanned the paragraphs, picking up the gist. No change in electromagnetic fields, no change in infrared, nothing detected on radio or digital signals. Simply put - they couldn’t find any evidence of the Kaiju communicating. 

Stephanie read it over again before meeting Bruce’s gaze.

“But- how do they know how to attack?”

“We’re still researching,” he said.

The new information felt like a bag of rocks in Stephanie’s brain. Useful for something but for now it just tripped her up.

“You’ve been researching this the whole time,” she said as a second realization rocked her. 

He’d known the whole time. Since Jason arrived. Before the attack in Hawaii.

“Why haven’t you told the pilots,” Stephanie asked, more force in her words. “They don’t know. I know they don’t know. Tim doesn’t know.”

“Telling the pilots would cause unnecessary stress.”

“People are dead, Bruce!” Stephanie stood, unable to feel her body anymore. She was falling again and watching herself fall. She was at the memorial for four pilots and on the roof waiting for the attack to come.

“Calm down, Brown,” Bruce said.

She glared at him. “I can’t be apart of this.”

“You missed training today,” Bruce said. “I’ve taken that as your resignation from this program. It’s already been filed.”

Of course he’d play that card. Kicking her out after all the work she’d done, all this time spent proving herself. Again.

“Don’t pretend I had a chance,” she said. “We both know I could only partner with Tim and Tim’s partnered with someone else. I was never going to pilot again.”

Bruce leaned back in his seat, clearly done with their conversation. “If you were a true pilot, you could partner with anyone.”

She wished it didn’t hurt as much as it did but Stephanie felt the words like a cold slap. All her doubts confirmed so swiftly and easily. It ached. 

“Is that why you never fought after Jason?” Stephanie asked, pouring her pain into her words. Bruce scowled and it made the hurt a little easier to stomach.

“I’ll need you off base by tomorrow,” he said with a bite to his voice.

She gave him a middle finger salute before exiting.


	11. Before Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stephanie is on a new path that brings her back to her home city.

There was a time before the Kaiju but people didn’t seem to remember it. A time before the contaminated blue beaches filled with families every day and the coast was the coveted housing market. People referred to those days as the Good Times as if the country hadn’t been continuously at war and in debt. It was nice they chose to remember it that way.

Stephanie never had any Good Times. All she had was Before. Before the Kaiju, she was the daughter of a criminal who spent two sentences in prison and hit her mother. Before, she watched her mom cope with sneaking prescriptions from the hospital in her bag after the night shift. Before, she outed her gymnastic coach for sexual harassment.

Flying back to the east coast nearly emptied her bank account. As a pilot, Stephanie didn’t worry about transportation, living expenses or money but now she could barely scrap enough together to get home. It was pure luck she had a home. 

The Breach was located in the pacific and Kaiju only attacked the west coast of the United States. This made the East Coast the new powerhouse of the country. The beaches still closed from contamination but rent skyrocketed. Her mother was displaced three times from rent raises before Stephanie finally bought her a house.

It was the best decision Stephanie ever make in her life and at the time she only did it to stop hearing from her mother.

She wasn’t interested in going home, though. If Bruce wanted to dismiss her potential and the danger the world was in, fine. But she wasn’t going to stay dead anymore. She wasn’t going to lie in the bed he made for her. 

The usual spots in Gotham stayed the usual spots. Unlike Los Angeles, the eastern cities prided themselves on staying the same. Good Times. 

Stephanie met Dean at the old diner she used to work. It looked polished and new with bright lights advertising “Kaiju burgers” and fight broadcasts. It smelled like burnt meat and sticky floors.

“Long time, babe,” Dean side as he slid into a booth. His smile was crooked with metal teeth and a broken nose throwing his entire face off-center. “Still lookin’ good, though. For a dead chick.”

Stephanie suppressed the urge to punch him. Dean reminded her of everything she used to be. She didn’t need or want that reminder but she did need him.

“Is he still around?” she asked, ignoring the small talk.

Dean shrugged and leaned back. He raised his hand to the waitress. “Coffee!” She rolled her eyes before walking over with a mug and pouring him a cup. When she walked off he watched her go.

“Depends,” Dean said. “What do you need from ‘im?”

“He’s my dad, Dean,” Stephanie said. “Don’t give the third degree to me.”

Dean wiggled his fingers at her like waving away spider webs from the corner of his vision. “You hate your pops,” he said. “Must be important if ya lookin’ for him.”

Stephanie didn’t want to fight or dance around this subject.

“I need him to get me to the black market.”

Dean let out a low whistle and leaned forward. He smelled like weed and gasoline and Stephanie hated being so close to him. After Tim, being this close to another ex felt like an allergic reaction.

“What makes you think he can do that?” Dean asked. He dropped his voice so they wouldn’t be overheard despite the empty diner.

Stephanie pulled out her phone and pulled up the saved text message. She never knew why she saved it - maybe to fuel her anger, maybe to motivate her to be something more - but it was worth the data space now.

FROM: UNKNOWN NUMBER  
Heard you made pilot  
Gimme a call to make a deal  
AB

Dean looked over the text message and slide the phone back to her.

“Doesn’t mean anything,” he said.

“Stop bullshitting,” Stephanie said. She sighed and tucked her phone away. “Look, he wanted access to the Kaiju and when I didn’t give it to him, I know he went to someone else.” She nodded to Dean’s silver chain hanging around his neck. “You’re doing pretty well, and he always liked you. So just tell me where he’s at.”

Dean grinned at her again and gave a laugh. “Still bossy,” he said. “But you’re working for the government.”

Stephanie shook her head. “Fired. And I’m also broke. That enough to convince you?”

Dean drank his coffee, emptying the mug in three large gulps before setting it down. He studied her in silence for several more moments before finally pulling a card from his pocket. 

“Find him here,” he said. He slid it over to her. It was pure red on both sides with no other markers. As Stephanie flipped it, the light caught ink on one side. Tricky.

“Thanks,” she said and stood.

“No kiss? We could relive some of those fun times.” Dean winked.

“I’d rather lick the underside of a bus,” Stephanie said and walked out.


	12. Brotherly Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason's family is nothing but drama and face punching.

Los Angeles made Jason itch. The heat on the wind carried the scent of ocean, turning his stomach whenever he thought about it for too long. The sun, the blue beaches, the water. Not even the noise of the base could drown out the repetitive crashing of waves against the rocks anymore.

He heard the footsteps approaching. Judging by the weight of the steps and the speed, he knew he was in for trouble. He took the cigarette out of his mouth before a fist slammed into it.

Tim Drake, celebrated pilot, never looked worse. Pale with sweat, dark circles under his eyes and disheveled hair did little to speak for his magazine covers.

Jason cracked his neck and rubbed the bruise on his jaw, already purple from Stephanie. Loss did crazy things to people.

“What’s up, replacement?” Jason asked in as casual a tone he could muster despite the growing anger and annoyance. People really needed to stop hitting him.

“What did you say to her?” Tim demanded, not phased by the placement of Jason’s fists on the railing. 

Maybe sleep deprivation had gotten to Tim. He certainly had the look of someone living solely on caffeine and energy pills. Sometimes pilots talked about the breaking point, when the neural interface went a little too deep after drifting. Jason read those scientific notes from the early days, when the patients talked about cracks in their thoughts, gaps pulling their mind apart slowly over time. He’d never seen it personally. After introducing the two-pilot system, all of that was supposedly taken care of.

He imagined all of that looked like Tim.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jason said to the boy and replaced his cigarette in his mouth. “You need a shower.”

“Stephanie,” Tim said, cringing like it pained him to even say her name. It should. “She’s gone.”

“You try her room?” Jason turned away. He could only imagine the fun Tim could have if he simply knocked on the blonde’s door. Last he saw her she was jumping out of her skin to get to the pilot. After a tangle in the sheets, maybe they’d both get some decent sleep.

Tim grabbed his arm and the action triggered Jason’s fury. He was tired of being grabbed and talked down to and controlled. He took Tim’s wrist and twisted. Tim twisted with it to prevent a sprain but let go.

“She quit,” Tim said. “She quit after talking to _you_.” His accusations were like a kid trying to shoot down a plane with a slingshot. Coming from someone who needed real rest, it was pathetic. But rocks were rocks.

“What do you mean she quit?” Jason pushed the kid away and held back the urge to punch him out, let him sleep off a concussion and the liter of caffeine he was obviously on and be done with the day. There was nothing but drama with this family and it kept punching him in the face.

“She stopped going to training,” Tim said. “She went to Bruce. After you talked to her.” Tim glared at him. “She could’ve made something of herself. She worked so hard.”

Jason scoffed at the new found compassion. “You didn’t want her to be a pilot,” Jason said. “You wanted her to stay on base.” Tim frowned but didn’t deny it. “Maybe I showed her something important,” Jason said. “I think you’re jealous she finally realized how big of a dick you are.”

Tim charged him and Jason was ready. A good old fashioned brawl could really free the spirit. He caught Tim’s punch and threw an elbow. The kid took it in the chest and backed off but bounced back with a high kick. They exchanged blows and blocks, dancing around each other as the wind took Jason’s discarded cigarette off the base roof.

Jason swept Tim’s legs and pinned him with an elbow across his throat. Really, it was pathetic how easily he was beaten. It meant in a Kaiju fight, he’d be dead. Tim glared up at Jason, still unable to comprehend him as anything more than an issue - trouble in the base.

“Word to the wise,” Jason said, getting close to make sure he knew how serious he was. “Get your shit together.”

He left his brother there to collect the rest of himself. Stephanie Brown had left the base. Interesting. Very, very interesting. This wasn’t something Jason ever expected. Bruce was never going to make her pilot but he never thought she’d come to terms with that. 

He pulled Tim’s cellphone, plucked from the boy during the fight, and tapped in the number to his contact. It was time to leave. If Tim was already accusing him it was only a matter of time before Bruce started barking.

“Hey, it’s me,” Jason said into the phone when the ringing stopped. He pushed the elevator button to his room level. “I need a pick up. Give me five minutes.” He thought again about the increased security measures he noticed since he’d arrived. “...Eight minutes. Edge of the bridge.”

He hung up and tossed the phone on the bed before grabbing his bag from the floor. Packing wasn’t hard. Burn the paper - he had copies - barely any clothes and a couple disks. He finished with zipping up his jacket and heading out down the hall, careful to spot any crew members walking about.

Luckily the empty, metal halls echoed footsteps and he easily avoided suspicious looks. He wasn’t a stranger in the halls, just the criminal janitor. Jason learned a long time ago that attitude made most jobs, like walking out the front door, easier.

The car waiting for him at the corner of Ocean and Montana avenue was a nondescript black SUV. He pulled the door open, tossed in his bag and slide in next to the driver.

“Didn’t expect a personal pickup,” he said, glancing at his new companion.

Talia hid her real expression behind large sunglasses and sophisticated attitude but she allowed a small smile to grace her face.

“I was in town,” she said as casually as one would if she were picking up groceries or other mundane things Talia Al Ghul did not do.

“Sure you haven’t just missed me?” Jason asked with a grin. Talia pulled the car into the street and began driving, leaving the base behind them.

“And why would I miss you,” she said in an accent created from several countries, “when you failed the last request I made of you?”

She held the wheel with gloved hands and wore a beautiful sundress and hat perfect for dining with celebrities. Jason wondered briefly just how long Talia had been in town to be so comfortable driving. It wasn’t her typical role. Talia was driven - she did not drive.

“You know that was a reach,” Jason said, hoping he sounded nonchalant about it. It still stung. “And I’ve got other goodies for you.”

“Like?”

Jason leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes against the bright sky. “Wait and see.”

“You know how I detest waiting.”

Jason laughed. “Where to now?” he asked.

“New York,” she said, pulling into a private parking garage. “The attack gave us a surge of new supplies we need to get out into the market.”

“Good,” Jason said. “I have someone you should meet.”


End file.
